DURIC SET TO RIDE IN AUSTRALIA

Jockey Vlad Duric riding at Ascot in 2020

Duric is set to return to riding in his home nation on Thursday where he will take up rides on the Pakenham Synthetic during a night meeting.

Duric’s greatest achievement was arguably his Caulfield Cup win aboard Master O’Reilly for trainer Danny O’Brien back in 2007.

The jockey then would spend the best part of the next decade racing in Singapore where he would win four Singapore Jockeys Premierships before heading back to Victoria late last year. 

Despite being back on the shores of Australia for a few weeks Duric decided on a slow return to racing, riding track work at Pakenham and Cranbourne for several weeks before making a competitive return to racing this week.

“It’s been a long time away and I’ve had a long time off so I’ve been back riding work a fair while so I’m pretty much ready fitness-wise,” Duric said.

“I’m a touch heavy that’s all.

“Being an old boy and such, I just want to take my time getting back down and such.”

Duric will have his first Australian ride since the 2016 Melbourne aboard Jesta Dreams for long time friends and Victorian based trainers Wendy and Kevin Kelly.

The Kelly’s partnered with Duric for his first ever Group 1 win aboard Bon Hoffa in the 2007 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.

“ A lot has changed but the races are still run the same, nice and slow,” Duric said.

“The tracks are all the same so you can just pick up where you left off, I guess.”

As well as Horse Racing Duric is keen to get back into the Victorian way of life and get back to watching his beloved Essendon Bombers.

“Sage my middle daughter, out of the family we are the two football supporters, and she’s a mad Bomber as well,” Duric said.

“We’ve got our memberships sorted and we can’t wait to get there.”

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